OUTER BANKS, N.C. — A wild stallion named Topnotch was recently moved from the area after the Corolla Wild Horse Fund said he had become conditioned to receiving food from humans in a way that made him "dangerously" aggressive, according to a Facebook post last week.
Topnotch, an old stallion, over time, had associated humans with food and began to seek them out. But regardless of whether they had food or not, the Fund says he was "reacting dangerously."
In these cases, the Fund says relocation is the best option for public safety, as he had become dangerous to be around people.
"This kind of behavior is extremely difficult to correct in a wild animal, especially when the habituation is related to food and humans," the post said, adding that they are fortunate to have places to bring horses like Topnotch where his needs can be cared for directly. The Fund did not specify where Topnotch was taken.
"We hope his story serves as a stark reminder of why it’s so important to maintain a 50ft distance from the wild horses at all times and never feed them," the Fund said. "We’d like to extend our gratitude to the residents who reached out directly to us to discuss their concerns about Topnotch’s behavior."
The Fund wants to remind people not to feed the wild horses.
